- A fresh graduate of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Rahmat Olajumoke Aliyu, wrote the JAMB examination three consecutive times between 2016 and 2018 without securing admission to her dream university
- Her father refused to let her attend Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, when she finally received an offer, marking one of her biggest disappointments
- She spent nearly two years teaching in secondary and preschool classrooms before a Direct Entry admission to UNILORIN changed everything
Rahmat Olajumoke Aliyu, a fresh graduate of the University of Ilorin, signed out of the institution on 16 July 2026, bringing to a close a decade-long journey shaped by repeated rejection, family conflict, and an unshakeable desire to earn a university degree.
In a post shared on Facebook on July 17, 2026, Rahmat recounted how her path to graduation was anything but smooth. After completing secondary school in 2016 with a desire to study Nursing, she wrote the JAMB examination and scored 256, choosing the University of Ilorin as her institution. No admission came.
Photo Credit: Rahmat Olajumoke Aliyu
Source: Facebook
She tried again in 2017, scoring 245, and once more in 2018, scoring 242. Both attempts ended the same way.
The opportunity UNILORIN graduate’s father rejected
In 2018, a window appeared. Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria offered her admission that year through a screening process, and she was filled with hope. But her father refused to let her go, and despite arguments, she ultimately had to let the opportunity pass.
Rather than stay idle, she enrolled at Kwara State College of Education, graduating in 2021. She applied for Direct Entry into the University of Ilorin shortly after, but the course she was offered, Adult and Primary Education, was one she felt did not suit her goals, so she turned it down.
Teaching before UNILORIN admission came
Between January 2022 and November 2023, Rahmat put her time to use in the classroom, first as a secondary school teacher at Hassanat Islamic College, and later as a preschool teacher at Offspring Ilm School. She described those years as ones that built her patience, strengthened her leadership, and reinforced her sense of purpose.
In August 2023, she got what she had spent years waiting for. She had been offered admission through Direct Entry to study Biology Education at the University of Ilorin. She resumed in January 2024 and matriculated on 14 February 2024.
In her post, she addressed those who doubted her along the way, including people who told her family the investment was a waste and others who measured her worth by her marital status.
“Your words didn’t stop me,” she wrote. “They reminded me why I had to keep going.”
Rahmat made clear that signing out of UNILORIN is not the end of her ambitions. She said she still dreams of becoming a professor, contributing to research, and living a life that inspires younger girls to believe in their own journeys.
Read her original Facebook post that moved thousands online:
Friends and followers celebrate her achievement
@Abdulkadir Ayigoro Alabi said:
“Congratulations.”
@Babatunde Ganiyu said:
“Congratulations. Favour market o.”
@Aminat Olajumoke Bashir said:
“Alhamdullilah congratulations to you.”
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that a UNILORIN graduate had shared how he became the best graduate at the Nigerian Law School.
UNILORIN graduate starts master’s at UI
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a UNILORIN graduate had commenced his master’s programme at UI.
He shared how he bagged a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Ilorin in 2019.
On his LinkedIn page, Emmanuel Bamidele shared what he learned before starting his master’s program at UI in 2025.
Source: Legit.ng